Whitlock: free the gays

The fallout from Te’o’s romantic relationship/publicity stunt with a fake dead male girlfriend should not be left to the Jeff Irelands of the NFL. The issue is too complex and important to leave to general managers, head coaches and Couric. The commissioner should intervene. Because if Te’o is hiding in the closet, he is highly vulnerable to exploitation and extortion. There is a popular theory that the possibility of hustling money from Te’o — and not love — motivated Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, the mastermind and voice behind Kekua.

It could all be a coincidence, but Te’o just happened to have a horrendous performance in the BCS Championship as the Kekua fraud was unraveling. Maybe he was distracted. Or maybe the wrong people knew his secrets. Whatever the case, difficult questions must be asked, and they should come from the commissioner’s chair. It’s Goodell’s job to protect The Shield. It’s Goodell’s job to protect the employees.

The best protection for the league and the players is the freeing of the gays.

Let’s be honest. I think it’s reasonable to assume that 15 percent of NFL players are gay and/or bisexual. Generally speaking, they’re forced to conceal their sexuality out of fear of being ostracized and potentially released from the team. They need to be set free, released from the grip of the most hostile work environment in America. Is there a more homophobic work setting than a football locker room? I can’t think of one…

...Goodell, who has an openly gay brother, can be a real leader and carve out a legacy that rivals Pete Rozelle’s.

While I'm not sure where Whitlock came up with 15%, he did at least raise a point that I'd not considered before, a point that has nothing to do with religion or one's world view.

Extortion, blackmail--Roger Goodell and the NFL may move on the issue of homosexuality for more than just moral reasons.

Lame article by Whitlock - one of the great things about sports is that its about comraderie and competition....with fans and players. We watch sports to avoid the political bs discussions on sexuality, taxes, dems and reps.....save that bs for msnbc and fox. Lets play the game and focus on what matters. The media sucks and turns 1-2% conversations into nonstop debates. Or even better, put together a weekly article on NFL players with charities....help them market good deeds.

Posted by iowabronco on 2013-02-27 12:43:09

The best studies say 2-3% of the population is LGBT. Of course, even after disputing that gross misrepresentation of 15%, I would still be in favor of those athletes that are gay being able to openly live the lifestyle.

Posted by Brian M. Jacobson on 2013-02-27 12:02:54

It's amazing to me that the folks who tend to fear this kind of change the most are those who profess the most manly bravado. How could someone's preference for a same-sex life mate threaten possibly anyone who is secure with who they are? Don't tell me locker rooms are different than society and will never change -- that's a total, complete, and shameful cop out.

Posted by broncosmontana on 2013-02-27 05:37:35

OC, not sure what happened. Sometimes disqus takes comments and throws them into a pending category for some reason. Anyway, I just moved it back into the comment section, so it should be out here now.

Posted by TJ Johnson on 2013-02-27 00:49:34

What happened to my post?

Posted by Guest on 2013-02-26 23:57:18

15% is more like 1-2%, in reality. Check the stats, especially among athletes. Like Dungy said, if it were ok to be gay in an NFL locker room, it would be public knowledge by now. We'd see openly gay NFL players coming out. They don't come out because there are so few, and it's unacceptable to the majority of the players. Just like countless military officers have said, having openly gay is counterproductive to having a cohesive band of brothers. Te'o could be in for a rough ride in the NFL (no pun intended).

Posted by orangecrush on 2013-02-26 23:44:58

That point tends to go nowhere apparently. On the question of exactly what point one's indirect effect on others becomes irrelevant and can be ignored, everyone has a different answer. For some people, that point is right at the end of their fists.

Posted by tunesmith on 2013-02-26 23:05:31

What if the gay gene makes you bad at sports?

Posted by Dan VanderPloeg on 2013-02-26 21:50:05

My understanding is the 15% is a lot more like 2%, but nevertheless a very worthy cause.

Posted by jvill on 2013-02-26 21:18:48

Just how is Goodell supposed dispense all that testerone in locker rooms and playing fieldss from disliking gay players.

He can talk all day long and the nature of the beast of young healthy males is going to rule the roost.

If there is 15% of the league are indeed gay, it would have come out long time ago.

IMO more chicken little rhetoric.

Posted by Lonestar47 on 2013-02-26 20:07:49

But, do the people who have a "right not to buy health insurance" (even though that isn't really a right) have the right to then just go to the emergency room and make the rest of us subsidize their health care?

Posted by AldenBrown on 2013-02-26 19:45:22

The owners could also really change things.

"No active professional football, basketball or baseball player has come out of the closet because no commissioner or owner has had the courage to hand him the key to unlocking the door."

Posted by DavidInLA on 2013-02-26 19:29:59

I appreciate very much where you are coming from. I didn't say Republicans, just the RNC. I try to make a distinct difference between the two because one is a small sampling of Republican decision makers, the other is a diverse party with many viewpoints and beliefs.

Posted by RockyMtnThunder on 2013-02-26 18:47:56

At least one research study says that men are either hetero or homo sexual. Men can imitate being bisexual, but only women are truely bisexual. The research was based on what materials shown to the subjects caused their arousal. Hopefully, one day, we will all grow up and no ones sexuality will matter to anyone than potential partners!

Posted by corangemanr on 2013-02-26 18:35:02

I'm a Republican and I'm fine with them having the right to marry (eventhough it isn't really a right). I would also like them to have the right to bear arms, the right to refuse having health insurance if they don't want it, and the right to send their children to the school of their choice (regardless of their income or zip code). Just a few of the rights I support.

Posted by Charles Burnette on 2013-02-26 18:00:52

What an awesome idea! Didn't understand the intent of "freeing the gays" based on the clip but after reading the article I think it is fantastic. Anything to reduce hate in a simple way like this is good for us as people.